The Forbidden City (2025) - Vendetta From Fujian

 The Forbidden City is an ambitious effort from director and writer (along with Stefano Bises and and David Serino) Gabriele Mainetti that fuses together cultures as well as genres into a sprawling martial arts action drama. Liu Yaxi stars as Mei, a young woman from Fujian Province who travels to Rome seeking her older sister, Yun, who went abroad to earn enough money to cover the acknowledgement penalty Mei faced as a consequence of being born under the (now repealed) one child policy in China. Mei's first stop is a brothel that appears to have trafficked Yun and Mei learns, via hard hitting kung-fu fueled interrogation, that her sister has run off with the married proprietor of a local restaurant. Pursuing Yun's trail, Mei encounters Marcello (Enrico Borello), the son of said proprietor, who is mainly preoccupied with keeping the restaurant running but is also interested in his father's whereabouts.  Mei's relentless pursuit uncovers the connections between Marcello's family, low-level gangster and slumlord Annibale (Marco Giallini), and Wang (Chunyu Shanshan); a Chinese gang-leader who runs the brothel as well as the titular Forbidden City restaurant. The fates of Yun and Marcello's father are also soon revealed and the hunt for missing persons transforms into a bloody-minded quest for vengeance. City combines family drama, culture-clash romance, travelogue, and gritty martial arts action into a slickly produced, well acted crime story that successfully entertains even if it doesn't execute each element perfectly. 

Liu Yaxi's career has mainly comprised of stunt work (Mulan) and she brings that professional level of physicality to the role of Mei. There are several fight sequences throughout the film including an absolute ripper near the beginning that transforms a restaurant kitchen into a veritable funhouse of pain and violence. The film's fight choreography is innovative and features a diverse display of improvised weaponry from the whimsical (a fish or bouquet of roses) to the viscerally gnarly (a kitchen grater) while never losing a realistic sense of gravity. Commendably, Marcello isn't called upon to assert any spontaneous fighting acumen, letting Mei fully inhabit that role, but demonstrates his resourcefulness in the kitchen and exhibits resolute bravery in the face of physical danger. While the earlier fight scenes are characterized by some faster editing, the genuine athleticism of the performers is still allowed to take center stage. A later showdown between Wang and Mei uses a more traditional medium shot framing providing sufficient real estate to highlight their abilities. There's an elegance to Yaxi's style that's even further emphasized by her tall, athletic frame though in no way does she sacrifice speed and agility in her movements. Chunyu Shanshan is a long-time veteran of the genre and the film does a terrific job of obscuring his martial prowess until this major set-piece. 

Beyond the bone-crunching action sequences, the other facets of Forbidden City land with various degrees of success. The performances are solid and very charming. The antagonists-turned-lovers relationship between Mei and Marcello convinces largely based on the charisma and chemistry between the two leads. Setting the film in Rome and allowing for Mei to fall in love with both the city and Marcello during a nighttime scooter tour is, admittedly, hard to resist. I also appreciated how Rome is depicted as a multicultural city beyond a simple Italian/Chinese dichotomy and there is room made for North African/Middle Eastern immigrant narratives as well. Marco Giallini and Chunyu Shanshan are both believable in their respectively brutal though paternalistic roles even as things get somewhat murky about their motivations in the final act. There is a plot twist that can be seen from space for anyone familiar with crime film and another one that was a legitimate surprise for me. At nearly two hours and twenty minutes, there's certainly some material that could have been excised from the final cut while maintaining a coherent narrative. Still, it's understandable when trying to capture so many genres in a single film.

There's a prevalence of CGI phoniness in 21st Century action films and while Mainetti's genre-bender isn't immune to a level of digital polish, it still possesses an authenticity in both its action and setting. There have been various films tackling Asian and Italian gang conflicts since the 70s, but for the most part they have taken place either in New York, Hong Kong, or both. Forbidden City's blend of European and Chinese sensibilities, languages, and performers brings something unique this well established formula. While the finale does meander, there's enough leading up to that to be well worth checking out for martial arts/action fans. Liu Yaxi absolutely has the genre goods and gives a breakout performance as Mei. I will be hotly anticipating whatever is next for her. 

THE FORBIDDEN CITY PREMIERES ON VOD 03/17/2026!

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MidWest WeirdFest 2026 - The Passionate Cinema

 
Dr. Dean Bertram and the good people of Eau Claire, Wisconsin have been hosting MidWest WeirdFest, "a cinematic celebration of all things fantastic, frightening, underground, offbeat, and just plain weird," for a seriously commendable 10 years now and I had the privilege of making my way down to check it out. Even though WeirdFest is essentially next door to the Twin Cities, it landed more firmly on my radar because they hosted one of the premier screenings for Anywhere, a movie I quite liked and reviewed back in January. Dean and Co. very generously provided me with a media pass this year so my wife and I made the short trip to spend a weekend in Eau Claire amidst some friendly and enthusiastic film fans and filmmakers. The old Asian Media Access Hong Kong film series had one of my favorite slogans; "Cinema with Passion," and cinematic passion is exactly what we found in Wisconsin.

Day 1

After arriving and settling in we walked around downtown Eau Claire for a bit and then made our way to the Micon Cinemas Downtown location; our venue for the fest. I'm always down to visit a smaller, older cinema and this one was a real charmer. Classic marquee and architectural stylings but also with some  renovations and well rounded food and beverage options. We were able to get our passes, which were some extremely cool printed dog tags, a mere 30 minutes before the first screening without issue. There is a noticeably laid-back vibe at WeirdFest where you don't have to sweat reserving tickets or finding the right office or person who may have your passes and yet nothing seemed oversold or overly chaotic.

Peeping Todd (2025) - What a fantastic way to begin the festival! Todd is Josh Munds' tale of the titular voyeur (Chris Alan Evans) who's ability to spy on the focus of his obsession, Claire (Mabel Thomas), faces a series of obstacles including her anally fixated boyfriend (Paul Petersen) and an increasingly vigilant home owners association. Also, it's a musical. Movie musicals are a tough sell for me and not something I would probably elect to review or even watch on my own so I'm especially grateful that I found my way to this one. Todd is utterly unrestrained in its depiction of a largely unsympathetic protagonist and a host of characters who run the gamut from despicable to the merely very strange. It succeeds both by executing the musical numbers beautifully, not only with solid performances but choreography as well, and by being incredibly funny. Without a doubt Todd features some of the funniest songs about stalking, anal sex, masturbation, and the particulars of running an HOA. The dialogue and some of the sight gags are also absolutely ludicrous in a way that really hit. I don't remember the last time I laughed this hard and this consistently in a theater. Todd definitely throws a lot at the audience and while not everything necessarily lands, there's clearly attention being paid to bizarre details from the Mormon rave/orgy to a momentary breakup song between Todd and the bush he normally hides in to watch Claire. It's something I could more easily see becoming a cult hit Off-Broadway but, as silly as it might sound, makes serious use of cinematic language to build some truly ambitious set pieces. I think it will take hustle on the part of the filmmakers and getting their off-kilter baby in front of the right eyeballs, but I could see Peeping Todd becoming a grassroots fan favorite and I hope it happens for them. 

This was preceded by a short film from Chris Alan Evans, Hivemind Deluxe, and followed by a fun Q&A with Evans and Assistant Director, Jonnie Stapleton.

Personhood (2025) - Next up was a smartly produced science fiction film from writer/director Richard Jordan about a lonely man in a recognizable near-future and his fraught relationship with an artificial person (AP in the film) companion. Set in coastal Spain, Waylen (Elliot Harris) is an affluent programmer whose physical challenges seemingly isolate him from forming meaningful relationships with anyone other than his adorable dog, Buddy. While the details are kept somewhat vague, a beautiful companion named Gala (Agathe Levi) arrives at his home seemingly prepared to service him both as housekeeper and lover. The two share some awkward exchanges as the limits of Gala's programming conflict with Waylen's desire for her to be more like a "real" person. Things are made far messier when Waylen's oafish younger brother turns up and starts showing his jealousy over Gala and everything else Waylen has managed to achieve. Personhood is a tremendous looking film and deftly manages what is essentially a two-hander between Waylen and Gala for much of the runtime. The performances are quite good across the board. Harris feels very authentic as Waylen and while it's one thing to cast someone with physical differences as the lead in your film, it's refreshing to see them cast as a whole person with sexual desires and significant character flaws. Agathe Levi is clearly gorgeous but manages to lend nuance to what could have been a mere "living doll" style of role. The aspect of Personhood that does falter a bit is the writing. It's difficult to have anything particularly novel to say about AI at this point and some of the dialogue felt nearly improvisational in an unconvincing way. The motivations in the third act get especially murky though it lands on a satisfying conclusion. Definitely a film, filmmaker, and a cast worth keeping an eye on even if it didn't cohere totally for me.

Personhood was preceded by a cool shadow puppet music video for Splash!'s single Under the Rose and a short film also dealing with artificial persons; E.D.G.A.R., which was co-produced with Kodak and I thought had a very cool vintage film stock look to it.

There was another screening but we hadn't really eaten since Minneapolis and weren't sure how many options we would have left by midnight so we departed to a local spot and called it a day.

Day 2

After properly caffeinating and fueling up at the hotel we made it down the block to the Micon for another round of weird and wonderful films.

Creature Fear (2025) - The feature debut from writer/director Manny Gumina who was in attendance at this screening. Gumina mentioned in his introduction that he intended for Creature Fear to be "as Wisconsin as possible" and I believe he nailed it. Creature is largely the story of Paul (Jarrod Langwinski) a small town ex-con in dire financial straits whose desperation leads him to subsist on local disease contaminated venison. This miserable diet results in his own infection, descent into madness, and a series of deaths that begin accidentally but escalate in intent and violence. In his isolation and ravenous hunger Paul indulges in some sinister activities reminiscent of Wisconsin's favorite taxidermy and cash register enthusiast, Ed Gein (Gein is never name checked in the film, but his stomping ground of Plainfield certainly is). Paul's story collides with that of a pair of musicians, local singer Miriam (Natalie Gerene) and Chicago based Charlie (Billy Chengary) who are looking to record music together and navigating a possible romance. Paul and Miriam share a grim connection and details are dispensed deliberately maintaining some air of mystery. There are extensively gruesome sequences featuring bodies both animal and human that are visceral in the most literal sense possible and this is contrasted with heartfelt interpersonal drama between the three leads. The class and culture conflicts between locals and visitors who believe "nothing good happens North of Madison" provides an interesting wrinkle to what could have been a more straightforward "backwoods townie shit" story. While the plot maintains a steady simmer in the third act, things do erupt into a dark, bloody finale that raises as many questions as it answers. Gumina's a Wisconsin native and lends a tangible authenticity to Creature Fear by employing great location work, dialogue, and a hard drinking way of life that rings very true. 

Creature Fear was preceded by a cool alien abduction animation from Nick Rohr of Lemon Pulp Studios and followed with a Q&A with Gumina, Langwinski, Chengary as well as actor Jimmy Romano and Cinematographer Derek Schmitt.

Best of the Midwest Shorts - We wanted to see some more shorts while attending the fest and this certainly seemed like the program to check out. I don't have great links for all of these but the festival page has more information on each.

The program opened with a teaser trailer for a project titled House of Flies. I spoke with the filmmakers briefly and they have a feature length screenplay that's getting noticed and are hoping to move forward with the full film. Definitely looks promising from what I've seen.

Country Soul - Another animation from Nick Rohr, this was a music video for the titular song by G'itis Baggs. It was both charming and tinged with melancholy. A touching tribute to the artist.

The Voice in the Vessel - An eerie Twilight Zone-esque story featuring a wonderfully cool automaton that may actually be a channel to the divine. Some great art direction in an attic filled with strange artifacts.

The Stay - A splendidly horrific lo-fi vision of a man on a deadline. Shot on film and featuring a decidedly experimental structure, this was both deeply weird and something I identified with to a disturbing degree. Featured the voice of Wisconsin's own Mark Borchardt!

The Girl in the Street - With a slightly longer runtime of 17 minutes, Girl in the Street has the opportunity to build some dread and tension around the story of a young man, Malachi, who moves to a small town for work. Once you notice that his employers hired the "Summerisle" movers to help him get settled, you know things are going to go poorly. Takes a very dark turn at the end and has some profoundly creepy imagery.

Spanked by a Ghost - Very fun, lightly horny tale of a young woman down for some paranormal extracurricular activities.

Homemade Gatorade - There were definitely moments for this one and I think it was a hit with the crowd. Gatorade is certainly spoofing garbage internet culture but also rooted in that aesthetic which I struggle with. It's a me problem and I'd still recommend checking this one out.

Hyperburn - A sci-fi/comedy/action vignette with some professional polish. Felt more like a promotional reel than a story to me, but there's absolutely a place for that in a festival setting.

Drink Up - Another eerie monkey's paw style of tale featuring some quality performances and some sharp direction. I'll definitely be interested in future work from Wenzler Powers.

Social Media Delivers People - Described as a video "art" project, this series of text and bland imagery decrying the inherent exploitative nature of the attention economy isn't wrong, but it isn't much a film either. Employing AI voices for the narration is definitely a choice.

Texas Strange - A sci-fi/Western mashup featuring an outlaw gang on a distant planet. Not really my aesthetic, but some solid performances here.

Godzilla Visits Minneapolis  - This short animation was much weirder and less coherent than I imagined, but how can I complain about Godzilla stomping out the Spoonbridge and Cherry?

Three Chicken Dinners - Hilarious story of a hapless film P.A. trying to order food for his crew from a Wisconsin dive bar. I witnessed something similar when I saw a guy trying to order a Chicago dog with sauerkraut from a local joint. You'd think he'd broken the Geneva Convention.

Blossom Needs a Ride Home - A film for anyone who wonders what happens to the "final girl" after the credits roll at the end of a slasher flick. Loaded with violent slapstick and smartly edited. This was a perfect way to cap off the series.

At this point, we were in need of a brief respite and headed next door to The Mousetrap which is the unofficial bar/meetup spot for WeirdFest. We grabbed a couple of drinks, said hi to some folks and took our bartender's friendly recommendation to grab some takeout from a local burrito spot to enjoy at the bar. Great joint, classic drinks, definitely worth a stop if you're in town.

El Ritual de Lily/Lily's Ritual (2025) - The sophomore feature from Spanish writer/director Manu Herrera employs the time tested formula of taking some attractive people, sticking them in an isolated rural locale, and introducing some supernatural havoc to bloodily satisfying results. In this case, it's a group of four female friends who, rather than stumble across something spooky, have every intention of performing a witchcraft ritual together to invoke a seemingly benign spiritual earth mother entity. There is (naturally) a dark twist and things proceed to go gruesomely off the rails in a stunning showcase of practical gore effects and creature makeup/prosthetics. The cast is both lovely and charming though Herrera perhaps lingers a bit too long on group dancing and sensual bathing sequences before getting to the violent conclusion of the film. As one of my fellow fest-goers noted, if you're going to indulge in that kind of thing you might as well go for something sleazier. We could just be degenerates, but I tend to concur. Herrera works through familiar territory with enough style to keep the film afloat, though,  and then the last 20-25 minutes are sheer gleeful mayhem. Definitely one to look out for.

Ritual was preceded by two shorts: Blindsided featuring visually impaired actor, Crystal Loverro, and a unique perspective on invading monsters. Sleep Tight personified night terrors into a typically spooky boogeyman and involved more foot stuff than I was prepared for.

The Mid-Night Driver (2026) - WeirdFest was the 2nd ever screening and Midwest debut of Alex Cherney's atmospheric period chiller that is not only oozing with an authentic sense of place (Cherney's home turf of Long Island) but sense of time being set around Halloween in 1992. Cherney channels the pre-internet creepiness of urban legends and dark party games centering his story around three teenage girls who attempt to summon the titular Driver based on a ritual learned from schoolmates. While this initial foray into the uncanny is uneventful; one of the girls, Claire played by Devan Delugo, attempts again on her own and succeeds in hailing a mysterious car with a sinister silent Driver to her home. By accepting a ride, Claire peels back the veil uncovering a legitimately eerie nighttime world of occult mystery lying below the surface of her mundane suburban existence. While budgetary limitations certainly must have played a factor, Cherney's implied rather than overt handling of supernatural elements is incredibly effective in creating a enigmatic world that suggests a much deeper lore than what's captured in this narrative. It's usually not wise to throw the term "Lynch-ian" around and I don't think Cherney's work is tonally very similar to something like Twin Peaks or Blue Velvet but there's a shared sensibility around mystery that's instantly identifiable. The Driver gives Claire occasional tasks on their rides and one late night visit to a woman's home reminded me a bit of Donna's unsettling visit to the Tremond residence in Peaks. Though he never utters an intelligible word, Al Reno as The Driver has a terrific screen presence and is able to convey so much with uncomfortable stares and grimaces. Likewise Delugo believably captures the essence of a determined, curious teenager who pushes her limits even if she hasn't fully articulated why for herself. Location selection plays a significant factor in how Cherney evokes Driver's early 90s setting and allows him to do so without ham-fisted platforming of obvious cultural identifiers. There are some fun easter-eggs scattered throughout as set dressing, though, and I'm nearly certain one of my neighbors had the same television/entertainment center/Pictionary box set-up featured so prominently in the film. One of the beautiful aspects of life before everyone carried a computer around in their pockets was that weird tales, legends, and mysteries could be explored and wondered about at length and Mid-Night Driver taps into that analog atmosphere of strangeness marvelously for it's 80 minute runtime. It's one I hope to revisit when the autumn leaves turn and a chill is in the air. 

The Mid-Night Driver was preceded by two short films: Film That Never Begins which I thought was very funny and 95 KiD which was not so much my thing. The film was followed by a Q&A with writer/director Alex Cherney.

After Driver we were cashed and decided to call it a night. Sadly, that was the end of our WeirdFest as we had to head home sooner than expected. This was such a joy of a fest: the film selection was excellent, the vibe was casual but things were still happening more-or-less on schedule, everyone I talked to couldn't have been nicer, and I'm already anticipating our next visit. There's a selfish part of me that doesn't even want to spread the word as WeirdFest feels so right-sized to me now, but I absolutely encourage anyone to come check it out. If you're a filmmaker, you should not only be submitting your films to WeirdFest but you should plain on attending! There were so many independent filmmakers in attendance and that only helped bolster the special event atmosphere the fest already had. Thanks goes to Dean and the other organizers (thanks especially for the pass) and the great folks at the Micon (seriously some of the finest movie theater service I've witnessed in ages). Next year, I'm taking off more time so that I can attend all three days and (hopefully) hit that Mousetrap after party.

Crime 101 - It’s Not Where You Take Things From - It’s Where You Take Them To

 Don Winslow has written thousands of pages of smart, highly cinematic, effortlessly entertaining crime thrillers and it's a genuine mystery why they have not yet been the source of countless prestige film and television projects. It's true that Oliver Stone reinterpreted Winslow's Savages to mixed responses, but one can only imagine what kind of essential viewing the correct adaptation of his sprawling and visceral Cartel Trilogy would be. So I was delighted if somewhat surprised that a film based on Winslow's writing was actually being released and instead of originating in one of his more revered novels, the source was his 52 page heist story, Crime 101. Written and directed by Bart Layton who made some waves with his 2018 docudrama, American Animals, Crime is primarily the story of professional thief, Davis, who makes his speciality robbing high ticket items from locales along the titular California highway. Layton does not stray far from the source material depicting Davis, Chris Hemsworth, as intelligent, meticulous, and largely isolated from the rest of society. Davis' rules of the game are the kinds of risk calculation and practiced detachment that are immediately familiar to fans of "respectable" professional criminals. In the film as in the book, Davis meets his match in a robbery detective, Lou Lubesnick played by Mark Ruffalo,  who theorizes a pattern between Davis' high profile jobs despite the misgivings of his bosses and fellow detectives. It's a classic set-up both of the principled thief who is willing to break his usual code for the promise of love, money, or sense of honor and the collision of said thief with the equally principled and competent law enforcement officer resulting in a grudging admiration for each other. Despite the well-worn narrative territory, Winslow's version is a lovely snapshot of a crime story that strikes those familiar notes like a seasoned musician playing an old favorite. Layton is able to take that snapshot and expand it into a gripping feature that also contains some heartfelt rumination on time, age, and what it can cost to play fair.

The primary means by which Layton draws out the source material is by rendering the women in the story far more substantially. Maya (Monica Barbaro) serves as Davis' love interest and is essentially a wholly new invention by Layton. The novella's Davis is a much colder fish than Hemsworth's socially awkward but essentially earnest version of the character. After a fender-bending meet cute, he seeks Maya out and she spends much of her screen time attempting to understand and humanize him. Even more significant is the Halle Berry's Sharon Coombs. Not original to the film, but Coombs is given a much deeper back story as a middle-aged VP at a wealth obsessed insurance agency who has been serially overlooked for compensation and promotion. Coombs extends Winslow's duo into a trio of people with matching dilemmas: they're exceptional in their chosen professions, they've played according to the rules applicable to their roles, and they're all getting screwed one way or another. For Davis, his handler, Money (Nick Nolte), suspects he's lost his edge so he looks to a younger, more reckless successor (Barry Keoghan) to knock him off. Lou is catching hell from the office brass about his closure rates and 101 Bandit fixation while his wife (and all too brief Jennifer Jason Leigh) wants a separation. There's a clear line being drawn between systems and politics whether it be in policing, jewel heists, or the insurance business—and none of it paints a flattering portrait. The way these stories overlap thematically and visually (there are some inspired editing transitions featured here) is perhaps the real success of Layton's film. 

The setting, the crime milieu, and some thematic similarities will inevitably draw comparisons to other films and filmmakers. Michael Mann particularly looms large over this production filled with sharp, desaturated photography, soaring aerial footage of nighttime highways, and a sonorous electronic score from Blanck Mass. The tepid take will be that Crime 101 is Heat-lite, and while one certainly echoes the other, it's not truly an explicit condemnation. Layton's film IS lighter than Mann's opus to professional honor codes and does not try to match Heat's grit or gravity blow for blow. Crime is willing to be funny at times without veering into slapstick. While walking archetypes like Vincent Hannah or Neil McCauley are a joy to watch, Detective Lou Lubesnick feeling out of place in his first yoga class makes for a far more relatable character. However, Crime still absolutely delivers in some ferociously tense heist sequences and virtuosic car chases. Winslow's story was dedicated to Steve McQueen and contains multiple nods to American muscle cars—Layton honors this with some marvelously choreographed driving sequences that hit with a realism comparable to 70s classics. The heightened action stays rooted in comprehensible physics and resists overblown digital effects to enhance the impact. Interestingly, the film shares Davis' reluctance to indulge in lethal violence and while Crime does have a body count, the action isn't driven by brutal and protracted shootouts. Layton's film revels in its genre trappings while retaining some plausible elements of human characters and their interrelationships. It's not any less of a crime movie, but it offers something different than the most thoroughly hardboiled of the bunch.

The cast is largely excellent and even when some character aspects feel underdeveloped, the gap is navigable thanks to the strength of their combined onscreen charisma. Berry and Ruffalo are particularly compelling and they bring some natural maturity to the material. Keoghan is not given much else to do besides being chaotic and violent, but it does result in one of the most haphazard, and occasionally funny, robbery sequences committed to film. The aforementioned Blanck Mass score is excellent and possesses some genuine heft compared to his relatively desolate (appropriately so) music he brought to last year's She Rides Shotgun. Crime 101 is more than a genre programmer with it's high profile cast and production, but it's still a stylish, propulsive, thrilling slice of crime cinema; the kind that often feels relegated to streaming services if one surfaces at all. It's a film worthy of joining the roster of expertly produced, highly entertaining crime movies and one that undoubtedly land on my regular rewatch schedule.

CRIME 101 PREMIERES IN THEATERS FEBRUARY 13, 2026

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Maldoror (2024) - The Dark Heart of Belgium

 

Fabrice du Welz first garnered widespread attention with his succinct, surreal shocker, Calvaire, which along with other gruesome Francophone horrors became part of The New French Extremity in the early/mid 00s. His latest, Maldoror, is a different animal altogether but one that also confronts the darkest recesses of human behavior head on. An absorbing crime thriller that takes its inspiration from one of Belgium's most notorious true crime cases: that of serial killer and rapist Marc Dutroux. The real life Dutroux abducted, abused, and killed a series of young girls in the 80s and 90s and his case created a national scandal due to the mishandling of both an earlier prosecution and subsequent investigations that allowed Dutroux to remain active. Du Welz creates a fictional law enforcement character, Paul Chartier played by Anthony Bajon, to frame his story and changes aspects (particularly in the finale) of actual events while still exploring the judicial dysfunction and bureaucratic corruption that led to a national tragedy.

The film opens with credits composed of ominous VHS tracking haze complimented by a throbbing synth score. Vintage aesthetics are popular with a slew of current filmmakers but du Welz uses them purposefully to point both to the time period and the critical role pre-digital media will play in the case. Chartier is a young member of the Gendarmerie with an unconventionally checkered past including a father in prison and a mother who worked in a brothel (played by provocative screen icon Béatrice Dalle). Chartier's youthful eagerness to prove his dedication leads him to volunteer for a special surveillance unit hoping to uncover information leading to the whereabouts of two missing girls. Paul and his senior partner spend hours and days maintaining watch over a series of societal outcasts and their activities around a scrapyard at the edge of town. The investigation is hobbled due to a lack of equipment and jurisdictional limitations but it's clear that some nefarious activity is occurring. The stand-in for Dutroux, Marcel Dedieu played by veteran Spanish actor Sergi López (who couldn't be more different from the role he recently played in Sirat), leads a pack of outsiders that range from the filthy and sad to improbably weird. Convinced of Dedieu's involvement with the missing girls but frustrated by an inability to find anything other than inconclusive circumstantial evidence, Chartier begins to cross procedural lines in order to find something establishing Dedieu's guilt. Paul's rule bending leads to professional recriminations and when the investigation proceeds under the jurisdiction of a different police unit, Paul's record and familial criminal ties make him the scapegoat for his own flailing department. While the entire film incorporates fictional elements, the finale is purely fabricated and its messaging remains somewhat ambiguous. It possesses a sense of closure absent from the actual events while remaining deeply cynical about how justice systems function.

Even without much knowledge of the source inspiration, Maldoror delivers a taut, darkly compelling neo-noir that successfully blends recognizable genre elements with a distinctly bleak worldview. An extended and naturalistic wedding scene in the early part of the film hearkens back to crime epics of the 70s and 80s. Much like in those films, the sequence works to establish the comparatively normal rhythms of Chartier's life and a priest extolling the endurance of love and the triumph of divine goodness over earthly evil foreshadows the adversity to come. It's a mistake to describe Maldoror as particularly "Lynchian", however du Welz did cite Dennis Hopper's Frank Booth as an inspiration for Marcel Dedieu. López's affect is largely more subdued than Hopper's, but Maldoror contains a pop song fueled nightmare that rivals Lynch's "Candy Colored Clown" in terms of menace. One of Dedieu's accomplices, Dardenne, clad in a leather suit, massive mullet hairdo, and flip flops could just as easily be in Bobby Peru's entourage in Wild at Heart. Characters make several references to crime films and shows in the picture including a direct invocation of Silence of the Lambs. This plays out narratively during Chartier's late night investigation of a garage that hearkens back directly to Clarice's nerve shredding investigation of Hannibal Lecter's storage locker. It's a dark sequence and lands in a place not dissimilar to elements from Harris' follow up, Hannibal. 

While it's hard not to notice some cinematic nods, du Welz's vision is personal and employs a distinct specificity of both time and place. Dismal industrial landscapes, scrapyards, and garages complement the anonymous apartment blocks and impersonal municipal buildings of Belgium. Maldoror evokes the banality of evil in every frame.  A smart use of surveillance, voyeurism, and seemingly actual (though likely recreated) video footage brilliantly manage the pacing of the film. Du Welz opens the aperture onto the Belgian criminal underground gradually, at first revealing only unnerving glimpses of potential darkness that slowly metastasize into fully fledged horrors. It's the same creeping feeling of watching a murky bootleg video or trying to peer through the static of a forbidden television station until you've seen something you wish you had not. Du Welz indicts a dysfunctional system but also a culture and a public fascinated by these nightmares. Maldoror is an ambitious take on the serial killer genre as well as "true-crime" and apparently the first in a potential series of films exploring the history of, as du Welz puts it, a "...very strange country." It's an obvious recommendation for fans of dark crime thrillers and while Maldoror wouldn't be confused for a French Extremity film, those grim echoes remain.

MALDOROR PREMIERES ON VOD & DIGITAL ON JANUARY 16, 2026

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The RIP (2026) - Bromance Under Siege

 

Joe Carnahan is back with a straight-to-streaming crime thriller that might be more notable for the deal that producers/stars Ben Affleck and Matt Damon made with Netflix than the film itself. The Rip features Damon and Affleck as members of the Miami based Tactical Narcotics Team recently under scrutiny after their captain was murdered. The team's specialty is seizures (rips) of drugs, guns, and especially cash from Florida dope dealers. After a series of overlapping interviews with internal affairs, Dane Dumars (Damon) is somewhat mysteriously tipped off about a stash house that might be holding a significant sum of cartel cash.  Upon further investigation, the team (also featuring Steven Yuen, Teyana Taylor, and Catalina Sandino Moreno) uncovers a fortune behind the attic walls and what follows is a test of trust as they realize that someone; the cartel, corrupt cops, or even one of their own; is not about to let that amount of money go quietly into an evidence locker.

Carnahan's career is one of peaks and valleys and while he hasn't hit the heights of Narc or The Grey for many years, he's still able to channel his strengths on occasion when it comes to hardboiled grit and action. There's evidence of that in The Rip which opens with a suitably kinetic sequence detailing the demise of that aforementioned captain. Unfortunately, while good, the action sequences in Rip are frequently shunted to the background in favor of repeated exchanges between long time TNT members Dumars and Byrne (Affleck) or the rest of the team either trying to determine their allegiances or flatly accusing each other of corruption. These scenes aren't poorly acted and Damon and Affleck have the chemistry you would expect from two men with a personal and professional partnership lasting many decades. However, the writing feels uninspired and repetitive maintaining an almost myopic focus on its two stars despite having such a killer ensemble. Teyana Taylor, rightfully being recognized for One Battle After Another, is given practically nothing to do here. What could have been a tense, paranoid pressure cooker feels more like a clunky whodunnit that has an especially lame reveal and one that comes early enough in the film that the final thirty minutes feels more obligatory than thrilling. 

The inspiration from The Rip allegedly stems from an actual Florida police unit that focuses on following and seizing drug money and there are some light touches of police procedural on display. The idea that the team has to make the count onsite with the potential of enemies closing in all around them sounds like an excellent set up for the kind of edgy genre thriller Carnahan is very capable of. The intention may have been an exploration of ethical pitfalls of law enforcement who has to face the absurd material wealth of the criminals they're looking to bust. Unfortunately, The Rip fails on both fronts and delivers a watchable crime film that offers a few bright spots but ultimately falters to bring anything insightful to the genre.

The Rip is available on Netflix on 1/16/2025

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Anywhere (2025) - Death and Desperation in Oklahoma

Playwright Adam Seidel's feature film debut, Anywhere, takes familiar noir elements cast against a rural backdrop and delivers them with unexpected twists and sometimes shocking violence. The set-up is a classic one: roughneck John comes home from his road gig only to discover that his wife, Syd, may have hooked up with his abusive older brother. The brothers confront each other and the ensuing brawl leads to a sudden murder which necessitates a messy cover up. Though they hide their tracks inexpertly, John and Syd do buy themselves enough time to find somewhere new; some place far from prying local eyes. Their trust and relationship begin to fray as guilt, personal ambition, and the realities of the world away from home come crashing into their lives.

Anywhere could easily be thought of in the vein of early Coen Bros. films (or Raimi's A Simple Plan) with its take on crime story tropes and regional specificity. There's a wry undercurrent of humor coursing below the surface of the film and its characters, particularly some of the supporting ones, exhibit a charming degree of folksy quirkiness. However, Seidel's film never erupts into full throated comedy and the moments of violence, while outrageous at times, maintain their gravity. Joshua Burge (Vulcanizadora) is perfectly cast as John; his inherently haunted expression and guttural croak naturally lend themselves to a perpetually lonesome hard luck case. Hayley McFarland (Agnes) as Syd manages the challenging task of embodying a diminutive if determined small town girl who becomes brutally pragmatic and capably violent in her pursuit of a better life. Fortunately, Seidel takes the time to illustrate the uglier sides of Syd's daily routine that nudge her towards increasingly extreme actions. Part of what makes Anywhere work outside of genre thrills is how well it illustrates mundane desperation festering until it explodes. 

This is an indie film and does have some awkward moments. Not every conversation or character moment feels fully polished. However, there are some excellent supporting appearances — Sean Gunn stands out as a stomach churningly creepy landlord who winds up pushing the couple too far —and it's hard not to appreciate such a genuine sense of place. The Oklahoma of Anywhere is sparse without being bleak and the interiors (mostly trailers and taverns) have a surprising degree of wood paneled warmth despite the grim subject matter. For the most part, the tension in Anywhere simmers. The measured pace hangs heavy with unspoken issues and the dread of crimes uncovered. However, when events reach a head, Seidel isn't afraid to bare the dark hearts of his protagonists for all to see.

Anywhere has been making the festival rounds and is available NOW on VOD

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Nobody Wants to Shoot a Woman (2024) - Stealing Survival

Few have it harder than women in crime cinema: the ill-fated moll, the grieving mother, or the wife who sees her life disintegrate as a result of a partner's greed, violence, and indiscretion. Kerry Ann Enright's feature debut, Nobody Wants to Shoot a Woman, takes a familiar violent aftermath scenario and shifts the focus to a woman who finds empowerment instead of tragedy in the disarray. Tina Benko (Flesh and Bone) stars as Mary, a tough but wounded wife and mother who is left empty-handed after her abusive bank robbing husband meets a bloody end thanks to his outsized gambling addiction. Mary makes an honest effort to enter the legitimate working world but faces discrimination due to her age and less savory affiliations. With her back against a wall of mounting bills and a son to provide for, Mary leverages those connections and joins up with her husband's heist crew only to discover her natural affinity for armed robbery.

While neither as hardboiled or bombastic as big budget crime thrillers, Woman exudes scrappy independence and is buoyed by a seasoned cast of East Coast performers. Benko's Mary plays the submissive wife early in the film though she still retains an steely reserve that foreshadows the badass that she evolves into. Once committed to criminal acts, Mary demonstrates quick witted resourcefulness that serves her and her comparatively buffoonish accomplices well. She begins to embrace the thrill of the heist as well as the alter ego, Machine Gun Mary, given to her by the local press. Her former powerlessness gives way to confidence bordering on swagger as she confronts a friend's scumbag ex-husband or navigates parent-teacher meetings with the same unsentimental efficiency as she exhibits holding up an art gallery. Benko; armored with a dark wig, oversized sunglasses, and a trench coat; possesses 90s action hero style but her performance has range and she's convincing in her vulnerable moments as well. Enright keeps her film focused on character and surrounds Benko with a ensemble of solid actors to work off of. Her playful scenes with Max Casella (Inside Llewyn Davis) as Eddie contrast his thrill and pleasure seeking against Mary's pragmatic approach to crime. Their repeated lavish dinners at a dimly lit French restaurant provide some quieter, more intimate moments though these rendezvous are inevitably revealed as a pretense to a new caper.

Narratively, Nobody Wants to Shoot a Women has some awkward moments and its feminist underpinnings are anything but subtle. However the film remains engaging via Benko's potent performance and the ultimately nuanced portrait of Mary. Additionally, Enright's genre bona fides are all well rendered—tense heist sequences, noir-ish Chiaroscuro lighting, and some excellent location work (shout out to Neir's Tavern). It's an authentic, stylish backdrop for this crew of charismatic performers resulting in a cool, earnest indie crime charmer. 

Nobody Wants to Shoot a Woman is available NOW on VOD

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